Dear DStv - technical faults thread

[KatieKim]

Just spent half an hour speaking to a call centre manager - it has taken 6 calls to get my basic downgrade done correctly

Enough of this backwards "service", when my credit runs out I'm done with this subscription.

They sound like the new SABC, they will follow you to your grave.


We are trying to find out how the warranty works for a new Explora. Which seems to be a state secret.

We know that it has a 12 month warranty.
1) If something goes wrong within those 12 months, do we deal with the store we brought if from to get the issue resolved or DStv directly?
2) Would the Explora be repaired or swapped for a refurbished Explora? I would think with the consumer act at least part of the time they'd have to give you a new Explora to replace a newish one. But this is Dstv we are dealing with. This is important we don't want to buy a new one and within a month have something go wrong and be given a refurbished Explora as a replacement.

And yes I have asked Dstv but I am none the wiser. Their answer was more along lines of The Bing chat bot made more sense, unfortunately it told me I had to confirm with Dstv because it wasn't sure either.

 

[Brian_G]

They sound like the new SABC, they will follow you to your grave.

We are trying to find out...

Last time I can help you - take both Exploras to a main MC service centre (not an agency). Work it out from there, consult with family by phone about any decisions from there if need be.
Have them check and show you that what you've decided on works, before leaving them.

Doing anything but this exactly may not lead to reasonable results.

 

[Brian_G]

You may want to first involve your installer - connecting things again when you get back home may need his advice / help

 

[KatieKim]

Last time I can help you - take both Exploras to a main MC service centre (not an agency). Work it out from there, consult with family by phone about any decisions from there if need be.
Have them check and show you that what you've decided on works, before leaving them.

Doing anything but this exactly may not lead to reasonable results.

I'm not wasting my time, after loadshedding the Explora 2 is no longer working properly again. Randburg is very far from us I'm not doing that trip again, the Explora 2 is failing and nothing MC can do to save it.

It is either a new or handing in notice. I'm not buying one through multichoice they are more expensive than anyone and I'm not doing anything that will lead us to having a refurbished one either. Which why I'm trying clarify the warranty on the new Explora 3b concerning system failures in the first year. Is Dstv going to give me a refurbished Explora if the Explora fails in the first year?

 

[Brian_G]

It is either a new or handing in notice. I'm not buying one through multichoice they are more expensive than anyone and I'm not doing anything that will lead us to having a refurbished one either. Which why I'm trying clarify the warranty on the new Explora 3b concerning system failures in the first year. Is Dstv going to give me a refurbished Explora if the Explora fails in the first year?

As you say, you won't be buying from MC. So only the store you buy from can really answer you.

DStv will usually help with some refurbished unit if there's no other choice. You and me both have stated we won't go that route, so no need to consider that further.

Given your made choices - just make sure MC breaks the existing XtraView connection by phone before any physical changes to the system. And your installer will still likely be valuable to you if involved.
Hope it works out. Cheers

 

[Brian_G]

Sooo... here's what my recent statement entries look like, even after that manager "fixed" it 2 days ago.
The total is still hopelessly wrong.

I'm told that a 3rd Xtraview decoder is the cause - which is impossible technically with the older decoders being used

Anybody surprised that I'm leaving?
Seeya

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

Sooo... here's what my recent statement entries look like, even after that manager "fixed" it 2 days ago.
The total is still hopelessly wrong.

I'm told that a 3rd Xtraview decoder is the cause - which is impossible technically with the older decoders being used

Anybody surprised that I'm leaving?
Seeya


View attachment 1560201

EISH!!!

Our wonderful people, our wonder country ....

 

[Luke7777]

I've never been able to make sense of an MC invoice

 

[Brian_G]

I've never been able to make sense of an MC invoice

I did once, years ago
But that was only about 4 or 5 lines long...

 

[Rickster]

Gotta give props when it's due, took our android box on holiday with us and dstv is working flawlessly without having to pay the holiday home feature on the spare decoder.

 

[HAL 9000]

No press announcement or any media release from @MultiChoiceGRP yet but from 1 August it's
@DStv app is being rebranded as DStv Stream for some reason.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1684903200720142337

 

[CaneMan]

Explora Ultra not recording series.

The software is up to date, I have reformatted the hard drive, re scanned but I still get the problem.

The programs are marked for recording in the “Series Manager”, but don’t show in the “Schedules”. Checking in the “TV Guide” the programs are greyed out and do not record.

I have Explora 3a in XtraView which does not have any such problems.

Any help sorting this out would be appreciated.

 

[Brian_G]

The programs are marked for recording in the “Series Manager”, but don’t show in the “Schedules”. Checking in the “TV Guide” the programs are greyed out and do not record.

I have Explora 3a in XtraView which does not have any such problems.

That seems to be your problem. Some sort of faulty accessing issue I would guess as I haven't come across any EPG (guide) greying-out, perhaps @Nemesys can give us some insight if he's around as he has an Ultra.

Your best bet may be to take both decoders in, but a main branch not an agency. Try carefully note all the disconnected connections if it isn't a DIY install.
Doubt I could help further but would be interested what you find out.

 

[Brian_G]

I think @Luke7777 also has an Ultra now.

 

[Nemesys]

That seems to be your problem. Some sort of faulty accessing issue I would guess as I haven't come across any EPG (guide) greying-out, perhaps @Nemesys can give us some insight if he's around as he has an Ultra.

Your best bet may be to take both decoders in, but a main branch not an agency. Try carefully note all the disconnected connections if it isn't a DIY install.
Doubt I could help further but would be interested what you find out.

Sorry Brian I only have a 3A and 2A. Also never seen sections of the EPG greyed out.

 

[CaneMan]

Thanks for the replies.
This what I get if I click on the greyed out series that are supposed to be recorded. I also have a friend who has the same problem with a recent purchased Explora 3b decoder

 

[Brian_G]

Thanks for the replies.
This what I get if I click on the greyed out series that are supposed to be recorded. I also have a friend who has the same problem with a recent purchased Explora 3b decoder

If this is a software fault, I'm sure you know that can take looong to fix.
The weird way those faults go with MC though, suggests some sort of batching which makes their behaviour often limited to just a few groups, so replacing the 3b might work.

 

[Brian_G]

so replacing the 3b might work.

NOT recommending a MC-refurbished decoder. But 3b's are relatively new so could be a fair coin toss.

 

[CaneMan]

If this is a software fault, I'm sure you know that can take looong to fix.
The weird way those faults go with MC though, suggests some sort of batching which makes their behaviour often limited to just a few groups, so replacing the 3b might work.

Yes, seeing that my 3a does not have the problem, I will use it until the next software update. Taking it into the Multichoice centre, will be a last resort.

 

[KatieKim]

Not 2 weeks into having a new Explora and I'm already having issues with a new Explora 3b.

1) Catchup is unstable. The Explora 3b keeps losing the library. Sometimes doing soft reboot helps but yesterday it didn't. I noticed in the afternoon that there was only a small selection of programing on Catch up. After loadshedding commenced and we swapped over to our backup power supply, there was nothing there. I kept the Explora off at the plug after loadshedding to miss an earlier loadshedding slot, so I don't know what it has done today since being put back on.
2) I set up season records for shows and Explora stops setting it up in the schedules. It has happened across multiple channels.
3) I can't cancel seasons in the tv guide section, I have to do it in the season manager.
4) There is an intermittent fault with moving time slots for a show. When I attempt to move a show to another time slot through other airings, it doesn't. It reverts back to the timeslot I want to move it from.

I never had so many problems with an Explora at once before, especially new. I don't know if this new Explora 3b is a dud or a software update happened and broke a lot of stuff.